Supporter
With the arrival of Anatolia in Greece, President White looked for the most suitable site to build the school’s permanent home in Thessaloniki. His search led him to an area of 73 stremmata in Pylaia, part of which belonged to the Orthodox parish of the Kapoutzides. By a fortunate coincidence, the Orthodox leader of the city at that time was Metropolitan Gennadios, a charismatic clergyman who stood out for his ethos, holding this position for four decades (1912-1951). Metropolitan Gennadios met President White and developed a strong friendship with him, facilitating the permit process and subsequent purchase, thus securing Anatolia the plot which belonged to the church. The official opening of the completed, modern campus of Anatolia in Pylaia took place in June 1934, during that year’s graduation ceremony. Metropolitan Gennadios not only honored the inauguration with his presence, but he himself performed the consecration, giving his blessing for the school’s new beginning.
Cyrus Hamlin
